Here's a rundown of the dams in Sullivan County

Dams are a major type of infrastructure across the country, and most of those in the northeast corner of Tennessee are in Sullivan County, according to federal data. There are a total of 12 dams across public and private sectors in Sullivan County identified by the National Inventory of Dams. The Sullivan County inventory includes four pieces of dam infrastructure as part of the TVA South Holston Dam. The dams in Sullivan County have a range of purposes, from recreation to hydropower. Most of the dams are identified as high-hazard. This means they're subject to an annual state inspection, according to a representative from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Dams can have a low, significant or high hazard potential. A dam with high-hazard potential means loss of human life is probable if the facility is misoperated or fails, along with economic losses or environmental damage. Low and significant hazard potential do not include probable loss of human life. Emergency action plans outline procedures to alleviate dam problems and for failure. Those plans are developed using Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines for dam safety. Most of the high-hazard dams in the county have an emergency action plan. In Tennessee, state dam safety staff meet with dam owners, municipalities and other local agencies as needed if dam issues arise, according to a 2024 report from the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. The report also states Tennessee ranks higher than the national average when it comes to the amount of emergency action plan data for dams with high hazard potential. That federal dam database includes information about each dam: who owns them, their purpose, condition, hazard risk and more. Here's a rundown of the dams in Sullivan County. Bays Mountain Dam The Bays Mountain Dam is one of the oldest in Sullivan County. Originally used starting in 1916 for Kingsport's water supply, the dam has since become a nature preserve at the city park, where visitors can take barge rides on the reservoir or sit and walk around it for enjoyment. The dam is considered a high-hazard dam in "fair" condition, according to the National Inventory of Dams, and an emergency action plan is prepared. A dam in "fair" condition means there are no existing safety deficiencies for normal operating conditions, but rare or extreme events could result in a deficiency. "The conditional assessment of Bays Mountain Dam as "fair" is based partly on the age of the structure, in addition to significant seepage noted for years near the right abutment," TDEC said in a statement to the Times News. "Currently, the owner is required to monitor the quantity of flow and color of the observed seepage." The dam passed its inspection in May and complies with federal dam regulation, according to TDEC. City of Kingsport staff monitor the dam's seepage to make sure the flow doesn't increase or change color. "The City has a longstanding working relationship with the state's dam inspector, a professional engineer who has inspected the Bays Mountain Dam for more than three decades," Assistant City Manager Michael Borders said in a statement to the Times News. "City staff remain in communication with the inspector and notify the state if they observe any changes between annual inspections." B Bend Hollow Dam Eastman Chemical Co. owns the B Bend Hollow Dam, which sits northeast of the Bays Mountain Dam. It is also one of the high-hazard dams in the county and is in "satisfactory" condition. It was completed in 1977. According to the National Inventory of Dams, the dam is 131 feet high. An emergency action plan is prepared for the dam. Steele Creek Dam The Steele Creek Dam in Bristol, Tenn., is owned by the city government. It's another high-hazard dam in "satisfactory" condition with an emergency action plan prepared and annual inspections. It was completed in 1963. Jeansonne Dam The Jeansonne Dam by the Virginia border east of Bloomingdale is outlined as a dam for recreation. Data was last updated in 2024. It is a privately owned high-hazard dam and is inspected every five years. It is not required to have an emergency action plan and its condition is not listed on the National Inventory of Dams. Underwood Park Dam The Underwood Park Dam is a privately owned dam designated as a "significant" hazard southeast of Bluff City by Underwood Park Lake. Data for the dam was last updated in 2024. It does not require an emergency action plan. Its condition is not listed on the National Inventory of Dams, and it is inspected every five years. Middlebrook Dam The Middlebrook Dam is a privately owned dam in eastern Bristol designated as a "significant" hazard in "satisfactory" condition and does not require an emergency action plan. Its data was last updated in 2026, and it's inspected every two years. TVA dams TVA dam infrastructure in the county is all high-hazard and in "satisfactory" condition with emergency action plans prepared, including: South Holston Dam The South Holston dam's purpose is outlined as flood risk reduction, recreation, hydroelectric and water supply. It is 285 feet high and located southeast of Bristol along the South Fork of the Holston River. Infrastructure includes: South Holston Left Channel Reregulation Weir South Holston Dam Saddle Dam No. 1 South Holston Right Channel Reregulation Weir South Holston Dam Bent Branch Auxillary Spillway Fort Patrick Henry Dam The Fort Patrick Henry Dam's purpose is outlined as flood risk reduction, recreation, hydroelectric and water supply. It is 95 feet high and located north of Colonial Heights by Fort Henry Drive. Jorgelina Manna-Rea is a Report for America corps member reporting on issues relating to the environment.